Sliding clasp fastener



Aug- 3, 1943. E. sAMsTEGMAN 2,325,709

SLIDING CLASP FASTENER Filed March 5, 1942 Ewe Z amsfegmavz y Patentes Aug.,3,19431 `UNITI-:D STATES PATENT vOFFICE;

- zszssos sLmlNGcLAsPFAsTnNEn Aapplication ma s, im, ser-m No. 433,491 4 fIn(treatBrltainltflarolw,194.1..4

Claims. (Cl. 24-205) This invention consists in improvements in or relating to fasteners of the kind known commerciaily as zip fasteners, that is to say, fasteners comprising two parallel seriesof small interlocking tongues constituting two fastener elements which are brought into interlocking position or opened apart by means of a slider having a shaped throughway. Hereinafter and in the appended claims such a fastener will be referred to as a fastener of the kind specified.

In fasteners of this type of which the interlocking clasp elements are made of metal, or other material, especially when they are used for closing handbags, umbrella cases and the like or articles of dress, there is a known disadvantage that during the operation of the slider the co-operating clasp elements are liable to contact and pick up or pinch any material of the contents with which they may come in contact. If such material gets between the clasp elements or between them and the slider, jamming results, not only arresting the opening or closing ofthe fastener but resulting often in the tearing or damaging of the contents.

The term "contents employed herein is used -for the sake of brevity to denote the contents of any bag or other enclosure in which the fastener is employed, or anything lying beneath a cover that is opened and closed by such a fastener, as for instance the skin of a human body when the fastener is employed onarticles of clothing.

In order to minimise this disadvantage it has been proposed to employ an underlying strip of material secured to one edge of the opening to which the fastener is applied so that this band will lie between the slider and the contents, but it .often occurs that this band itself causes similar diiliculties, particularly if the contents of a bag, for instance, tend by their bulk to prevent a ready closing of the fastener.

An object of the present invention is to overcome these difficulties and according thereto there is provided, in or for a fastener of the-kind that wall of the entrance that is adjacent the contents. i

Conveniently, for the entrance of the slider which is the leading entrance during closing, the guard extends from that wall of the entrance which is adjacent the contents and extends laterally on both sides of the throughway entrance and also forwardly thereof considered'in the direction of movement when closing.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, some preferred forms of the invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a llongitudinal section through a fastener and slider constructed in accordance with the 'present invention and is a section on the line I-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a plan looking from above in Figure 1':

Figure 3 is a plan looking from the under side in Figure 1I Figures 4 and 5 show in section similar to Figure 1 two modified forms of slider;

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 shows in section similar to that of Fligure 1, a still further modification of the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the slider illustratedl in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of a modified form of the invention similar to that shown in Figure 'l bu-t having provision for locking the fastener in its closed position;

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 showing the manner in which the lock is released, and Figure 11 illustrates an improved form for the extremity of fastener elements when it is necessary fully to open a garment to disconnect those elements entirely.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

In the construction according to Figures 1 to 3, a and b represent the co-operating fastener elements each comprising a series of tongues which interlock with the tongues of the companion series, the slideris indicated generally by the reference character c and a swinging loop-like handle is engaged within a recess in an upper extension m of the slider. The slider in known form is provided with a throughwayl passage which has a flared mouth at the right-hand end as viewed in Figure 1 which at the entrance is constituted by two channels formed by the provision of an inner member n which tapers rearwardly as shown in Figure 8 so that the two entrance channels merge into a single channel or passage at the opposite end, the width` ofthe passage at that end being substantially equal tov the combined widths of the two fastener elements a and b when they are closed.

In this respect the slider is similar to that ordinarily employed. It differs, however, accordA ing to the present invention in that the upper portion of the slider is formed with a guard or extension e at the narrow end of the channel or throughway passage and this guard extends to` Wards the opposite wall of the passage so as tov depress the flexible' fastener elements and the contents below that oppOsite wall thus steering the contents clear of the entrance to the throughway passage as the slider is moved in either direction, particularly during an opening movement. The extension e is preferably made wider than the .ing inclined relatively to the body c` in the same direction as is extension e in the foregoing concombined widths of the fastener elements and may, if desired, be banked over at the sides to overlap the fastener elements in order to-exert a pressure on the material to which the fastener 1 has the effect of slightly turningv the fastener i elements inwardly where they are interconnected close the gap between the fastener element and the opposite wall of the passage. The material of the contents is likely to slide on morereadily from such slanting edges towards the sides than it would be in the case oi the form shown in Figures 1 and 2. y

In orderv to afford similar advantages during the closing operation, the opposite end of the slider is formed with a forward projection g which may be plane or convex and is extended laterally in a part f to underlie both of the opened fastener elements as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3. For thispurpose a cross-bar f is secured in the extension g and the cross-bar f is preferably of circular or oval cross-section and may be made of sheet metal rolled into tubular form or y or interlocked and more eiiectively therefore to so as to overhang the fastener elements in order to restrictthe gap between them.

.In Figure 4 another form oi' slider is shown inv which the equivalent of cross-bar f is provided in a hollow or open frame-like noseportion y, a'.

The portion a' may be so shaped or may be provided with projections such as to' limit not only the'opening apart but also the approach of the" fastener elements as the slider is moved.

In Figures and 6 the cross-bar f and the rear I extension e are interconnected by a bridge i.

which bridge may constituteA the loop on which operating handled can slide and turn. l i

In the construction illustrated in Figures 'I and 8, which isa constructionthat is the most preferred in practice, the extension-g instead of bestructions, is now inclined in the reverse direction so Ithat the cross-bar f or the equivalent of this cross-bar now shown in the form of a loop,

` tends to lift the fastener .elements away from the contents. Moreover', .the bridge piece i is now in the. form of a circular rod-like element bent 25 Y to shape instead of the at bar shown in y s 5 and 6. This construction works best if, when opening, the handle d is slightly lifted. It will be seen` that in all the exples the bridge piece allows the handle d to slide to one end or the other thereof so that, automatically, in both movements the tendency will be to lift the leading edge of the slider.

. In Figure 9the construction of the slider is in 'i all essentials similar to that shown in Figures 'i' and .8 but in addition there is a lock constituted by a member o that is pivoted at p on an upstanding bracket p'integral with the slider and has two spurs q arranged side by side .to pass through slots in the slider to engage the fastener elements in order to prevent the slider moving in the opening direction. A spring r normally turns the member o about its pivot in a direction normally to hold the spurs q in engagement with the fastener elements. So far the lock is of known form and normally a loop or operating handle lying within a recess on the under side of the member o engages a sloping or cam sur- 4face s so that when the loop is drawn in a direction to open the fastener, engagement of the loop will co-operate with the cam surface s to lift the spurs clear of the fastener elements and at the l same time compress spring r. In this case, howit may be a solid rod. Between the slider c and v the cross-bar f, or as shown in Figures 1 and 2 above the cross-bar, there is a further cross-bar h of any preferred cross-section and form.

If desired, it is within the invention to omit cross-bar h and utilise only cross-bar f. A

The purpose of these cross-bars, particularly the cross-bar f is to cover the gap formed by the opened portions of the fastener elements and to prevent the contents reaching the gap and so prevent entry of the material of the contents into" the nip between the fastener elements.

The cross-bars f and h or either one of them' i may be straight or curved and of whatever length is desired but preferably for the sake ofvcompactness they will not be made longer than is necessary to cover the: opening between the fastener elements. The extremities of these cross-bars, particularly the cross-bar f should be tapered or rounded in order to afford a smooth sliding engagement with the contents; or additionally the ends ofthe cross-bar h may be bent downwardly ever, a V-shaped element t, which is convenient- 1y formed from wire of circular' cross-section, has one arm which slides on the surface c' oi' the slider c and has another arm u of channelled form to engage partially around the material of the bridge piece i at all times to prevent lateral .displacement of the member t. Arms from this member indicated at v are engaged within the recess on the unde'r side of the lock o so that when the member t is moved left, that is, in a direction to open the fastener, the reaction of the inturned portion v with the cam surface lsserves to lift the spurs out of engagement with the fastener elements, as shown clearly in Figure 10.

In orderto eifect this movement it will be seen Y that the operating handle or loop d will engage the element tand in doing so passes over the arm u into the loop or angle portion of the memb'er t so that when the handle d is pulled to open the fastener the lock will released as above described.

The part of member t which slides on the surface c' of c may be extended right beyond arms at the same time be' a,aa5,7o9 l v which is the leading entrance during closing exv to prevent tilting of member t and further to ensure against its accidental displacement. j

In the form illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 in which the cross-bar is in the form of. an open loop or frame an advantage is obtained in'that say, turned slightly in a direction towards theVv fastener elements so 'as to engage and lift the material adjacent the fastener elementsto which they are secured and also the elements themselves and thereby more adequately to remove the fastener elements from any chance of en gaging with and nipping between them the `mat teriai of the contents. Y l

The handle d is bent as shown in order that it can lie over the tail portion e when not required for use and thus lie more neatly than will'be the case if it is not so bent in its length as, for ihstance, in the form shown in Figure 1.

In Figure 11 there is illustrated the extremities of the fastener elements designed to suit the present construction of slider when it is desirable, as for example in the case of garments known as golf jackets; to disconnect entirelythe fastener elements to complete the opening of the edges of the garment which' are interconnected by the fastener. which is to be disconnected terminates in a rigid extension beyond the fastener elements so that this can be threaded and Unthreaded from the appropriate channel of the slider. Such rigid extensions, however, would not work with the present invention owing to the presence of the guards which are inclined with respect to the throughway axis of the channel at each end of the slider. Consequently, as shown in Figure 11, that fastener element on which the slider will remain terminates in a short, rigid piece or stop w which underlies the inclined leading extension such as e of Figures 'I and 8'and behind this what has hitherto been a rigid continuation isnow made up of a number of sections .1: which renderthat edge flexible to permit its passage through the channel of the slider. On the other side the entire length of what was hitherto a Ordinarily, the edge` tends fromthat wall ofthe entrance which is adjacent the contents 'and extendslaterally on both sides of the throughway entrance and also forwardly thereof considered in the direction Vcf movement when closing.. i f

.3. A fastenereaccording toelaim 1" in which the guard member for that entrance which is the leading entrance during closing isdirected upwardly, that is to say, towards what will be the outside of the fastener elementsand extends from the inner wall or base of the throughway.

4. A fastener according to claim 1 in which tne two guard members are inclined relatively to slider in the same direction. Y l

5. A fastener according to claim 1 in which the guard members are oppositely inclined relatively to the slider,l that is to say, one upwardly and the ` one downwardly.

. 6.- A fastener according to claim 1 in which the guard member at the narrow end of the through- .way `where the fastener elements arey closed .is

4foprmed to press against the fastener elements at their junction, for the purpose specified-' 7. A fastener according to claim 1 in which the guard member at the narrow entrance of the f throughway passage is formed to overhang the the section at the extreme end being extended laterally at z and, if necessary, furnished with holes for stitching on tothe material to which the fastener is attached. By making the whole of the extension beyond the interlocking tongues a and b flexible in this manner, the end can be threaded through the slider when it is desired to reunite the fastener elements.

I claim:

1. In or for a fastener of the kind specified, a slider having a throughway passage for the interlocking clasp elements, and guard members engaging said elements and extending beyond the entrances of the throughway to press ormove the contents to a position clear of the entrances to the throughway, the guard member for that entrance of the throughway which is the leading entrance during opening of the fastener being inclined obliquely across and outwardly from said entrance thereby to depress the clasp elements and also the contents to a position removed from fastener elements, for the purpose specified.

8. A fastener according to claim 1 in which the I guard for the wide lend of the throughway passage is in the form of a cross-bar or loop situated on the inner side of the fastener with or without an additional transverse guard on the 1 lsame or 'the opposite side of the slider and nearer to the entrance to the passage through the latter.

l0.' A fastener according to claim 1 having onV what will be the outer surface of the fastener a loop or bridge extending lengthwise of the fastener, and an operating handle that can slide along this bridge or loop from one end to the other so that when the operating handle is manipulated the tendency will be to lift the leading edge of the slider in either direction of movement, and in which the loop or bridge is constructed from a metal rod of circular cross-section.

11. A fastener according to claim 1 in which the underside of that end of the slider which is the trailing end when closing is tapered towards the interlocking or medial position of the fastener elements, for the purpose described.

' 12. A fastener according to claim 1 having ron what will be the outer surface of the fastener a loop or bridge extending lengthwise of the fastener, and an operating handle that can slide along this bridge vor loop from one end to the otherso that when the operating handle is manipulated 'the tendency will be to lift the leading edge of the slider in either direction of movement, and having a hinged locking member mounted on the slider in combination'with an unlocking member itself slidable on the slider and having a part to engage and lift the lock and another part which engages the bridge with necessary freedom for movement and which is itself engageable by the operating handle, for the purpose described.

13. Afasteneraccordingto claim 1 in which for the purpose -of completely disconnecting the fastener elements the end of that element of the fastener which extends beyond the interlocking clasp elements and is to be threaded into the slider is made' flexible, for the purpose described.

14. A fastener according to claim 1in which for the purpose of completely disconnecting the fastenery elements the-end of that element of the fastener which extends beyond the interlocking clasp elements and is to be threaded into the slider is made flexible, for the purpose described,4

and in which the end portion of the fastener to which the slider will.4 remain permanently attachedili constituted, -beyond the interlocking tongues, by a flexible part terminating in a stop. 15L A fastener according to claim 1 in which for the purpose of completely disconnecting the EwEL-SAMSTEGMAN. o 

